The reaction I’ve had since talking about depression has been just unbelievable. It makes me wish I’d done it sooner

SAYS ENGLAND & SPURS STAR

DANNY ROSE is still being thanked for opening up over his fight with depression.

In a rare display of candour before the World Cup, the Tottenham and England left-back revealed his struggles.

And with the new Premier League season just days away, he told how the response to what he said left him in tears.

The overwhelmingly positive feedback continues to do more to encourage men to speak out about their emotions than many of the conventional campaigns that went before.

“The reaction I’ve had has been unbelievable,” said Rose.

“I was back home in Doncaster over the weekend. My brother plays for Grimsby and I was at the game. I had two people come up to me at the game thanking me for what I’d said.

“They had suffered from it and it had helped them. I went away with England, there was a member of staff there who’d suffered from it and thanked me as well.

“It just made me wish maybe I’d done it sooner. Or maybe after the World Cup but yes, I’m glad I did it in the end.

“We played at Leeds – England against Costa Rica before the World Cup. I remember waking up that morning, the morning after it came out.

“I woke up to a lot of messages and got really upset. I wasn’t expecting it. I wasn’t expecting the amount of messages.”

England manager Gareth Southgate was on hand with the right words to enable Rose to deal with the aftermath.

“Gareth called me to have a meeting with him,” he said. “We had a walk around the hotel and again, he gave me some really nice words. It was a funny few days for me.

“Then that night we played against Costa Rica and after the game the manager said it was one of the best games he’d seen me play. It was as though I’d got a lot of things off my chest.”

FA chief

Martin Glenn revealed last week plans to offer Southgate a significant wage rise to extend his contract to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The run to the semifinals in Russia did more to reconnect the national team with the fans than any of Southgate’s highlypaid predecessors over the last 15 years.

If Rose’s feelings are anything to go by, Southgate signing on for the longer term would get the seal of approval from the Three Lions dressing room.

“I can only speak for myself but I’d definitely love him and all of his coaching staff to stay,” he said. “They’ve been great with me.”

Despite seeing the left wing-back position occupied by Ashley Young at the World Cup, Rose added: “I had a conversation with Gareth in Russia. He was telling me to keep going.

“I’m somebody who is really unhappy if I don’t play. It’s always hard being away from home for so long but the manager and his staff made it as enjoyable as possible.

“I told him I was finding it a bit difficult not playing but he always had words of encouragement.

“So I’d love him to stay. I’ve a great relationship with him.

“I speak to him outside of England camps and he’s been brilliant for me.”

THE FIGHT GOES ON Danny Rose spoke out in June about his struggles with depression